Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-21
THE TRUTH AT LAST.
The Infamous slander on Dead Mrs.
Billion Confessed.
Copyright, 1887, by the California Assoc,,,.,, D..

Copyright, 1887, By The California Associated Pres,
CHICO, July 20th.-The Enterprise this evening
publishes another confession of Hong Di made
IN the Colnsa Jail 10 a man in the cell with him
named Cotlle; Cottle says Hong intended to
Eli all the Bflhou family but Maud rayish her
then cut her throat aad kill himself. The con-
iessl0ll was written ~ Hong Di Cottle saws
tnat Hong Dl was the most sensual brute he
ever came scrosS. His sole desire was to crafty
MS lllstiul passion. The. original written con
| IeSSon IS in the hands of lawyer Hart of
Colusa The Estsfprise E,ablished what was
in 0YOvilIe.
The above disr strti came to the RECORD.
aNoN last night. T. J. Hart of Colusa,
tre-attorney who defended Hong Di, was
IN Sacramento yesterday, and in an inter
vieT with our evening contemporary said
that ae was regularly employed to defend
Hong 1a- 1t had oocasioned surprise, he
siid, tAat on the trial hsdid not introduce
the infamous story told by the Chinaman
about Mzs. Billion; but, said Mr.. Hart. II
was not introduced because it was not
true" fcr the defendant confessed to
him that II was lie. When he took
the case haven't to see tAe prisoner and
asked him What is your excuse for kill
ing Mrs. Biliou?' Whereupon Hong Di
replied that Il was to be found in the pub
llshed interview with Consul Bee, in which
the charge against Mrs. Billicu, blackening
her reputation for virtue, was made. Mr..
Hart then asked him ''Are-these things
true? Remember, this is a most seri-
GUS affair, and you cannot hope to es-
cape by telling a lie, while the truth will
undoubtedly be of great benefit to vou.''
The fellow hung his head a few seconds.
and then looking up, said to Mr.. Hart
HaF I
paper say Mr.. Hart then asked him
who told him to tell such story, and the
murderer at once charged Major Burns, 4
Deputy United Sta'es Marshal. with aG-
vislng him to do so, and added that he met
Burns one night in Chico. Mr.. Hart said
Ii was Tor that reason the story Was not
projected into the defense, for he believed
Hong Di was telling the truth. 1t is said
that Burns acted for the Chinese Consul.
Colonel Bee, in searching for Hong Di A
statement from Chico is to the effect
that Hong Dis story cannot. be true
about Burns, because the latter left Chico
some days prior TO the arrest of the mur-
derer. 1t is alleged, however, that Hong
Di told Cottle, referred to above. that he
was in Chico May 18th. and saw and
talked with Burns there. Burns remains
to be heard from, and is entitled to a sus-
pension of judgment until he can reply.
At best, the stories of the murderer
strangely conflict. and prove that no reli-
ance could be placed upon them, or Justify
putting them forward unsupported to assail
the reputation of the murdered woman
The confession he made to Mr. Hart shows
how merciless it was to the dead, to give to
the world Hong Dis concoeted story in the
first place, with the effect of covering the
family OF the deceased wife and mother
with shame Had not the Unsuitable spirit
of sensational journalism actuated the
publication, and shocked the entire COM
munity, it is probable, judging from the
recitals of the Coroner's jury, that CoIusa
county might not have been disgraeed by
the savagery of lynch law, and that the
wretched murderer would have met his
fate at the hands of the law instead of
mob. The worthlessness of the unsup-
ported story of the murderer, which vicious
sensationelism gave publicity while the
lips of the accused woman were sealed in
death. is now established, and every decent
man must blush for his race that it was
ever permitted to disgrace type or press.